3 “Make up your mind,” Moab says.

“Render a decision.

Make your shadow like night—

at high noon.

Hide the fugitives,

do not betray the refugees.

4 Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you;

be their shelter from the destroyer.”

The oppressor will come to an end,

and destruction will cease;

the aggressor will vanish from the land.

3 Take counsel, execute judgment;

Make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday;

Hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.

4 Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab;

Be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler:

For the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth,

The oppressors are consumed out of the land.

3 “Help us,” they cry.

“Defend us against our enemies.

Protect us from their relentless attack.

Do not betray us now that we have escaped.

4 Let our refugees stay among you.

Hide them from our enemies until the terror is past.”

When oppression and destruction have ended

and enemy raiders have disappeared,

3 “Take counsel, execute judgment;

Make your shadow like the night in the middle of the day;

Hide the outcasts,

Do not betray him who escapes.

4 Let My outcasts dwell with you, O Moab;

Be a shelter to them from the face of the spoiler.

For the extortioner is at an end,

Devastation ceases,

The oppressors are consumed out of the land.

3 They say: “Help us.

Tell us what to do.

Protect us from our enemies

as shade protects us from the noon sun.

Hide us, because we are running for safety!

Don’t give us to our enemies.

4 Let those of us who were forced out of Moab live in your land.

Hide us from our enemies.”

The robbing of Moab will stop.

The enemy will be defeated;

those who hurt others will disappear from the land.

3 Give counsel, execute justice; make thy shade as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; betray not the fugitive. 4 Let mine outcasts dwell with thee; as for Moab, be thou a covert to him from the face of the destroyer. For the extortioner is brought to nought, destruction ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.

3 Bring in counsel, execute justice; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of noonday; hide the outcasts, discover not the fugitive. 4 Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the waster. For the extortioner is at an end, the wasting hath ceased, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.

3 Give us advice. 

Make a decision. 

At high noon make your shadow as dark as night. 

Hide the fugitives. 

Don’t betray the refugees. 

4 Let the fugitives from Moab stay with you a while. 

Be their refuge from the destroyer. 

Ruthless people will come to an end. 

The destruction will end. 

The one who tramples others will be gone. 

3 Give us counsel and make a decision.

Shelter us at noonday

with shade that is as dark as night.

Hide the refugees;

do not betray the one who flees.

4 Let my refugees stay with you;

be a refuge for Moab from the aggressor.

When the oppressor has gone,

destruction has ended,

and marauders have vanished from the land.

3 “Give counsel,

grant justice;

make your shade like night

at the height of noon;

hide the outcasts,

do not betray the fugitive;

4 let the outcasts of Moab

settle among you;

be a refuge to them

from the destroyer.”

When the oppressor is no more,

and destruction has ceased,

and marauders have vanished from the land,

3 “Bring counsel,

make a decision;

make your shade like the night

in the middle of noonday.

Hide the outcasts;

you must not betray the fugitive.

4 Let my outcasts of Moab dwell as aliens among you;

be a hiding place for them from the presence of the destroyer.”

When the oppressor is no more, destruction has stopped,

the one who tramples has disappeared from the land,

3 The Moabites say to the rulers of Judah,

“Give us advice. Make a decision.

Cover us with your shadow.

Make it like night even at noon.

Hide those of us who are running away.

Don’t turn them over to their enemies.

4 Let those who have run away from Moab stay with you.

Keep them safe from those who are trying to destroy them.”

Those who crush others will be destroyed.

The killing will stop.

The attackers will disappear from the earth.

3 “Give us advice, make a decision;

Cast your shadow like night at high noon;

Hide the outcasts, do not betray the fugitive.

4 “Let the outcasts of Moab stay with you;

Be a hiding place to them from the destroyer.”

For the extortioner has come to an end, destruction has ceased,

Oppressors have completely disappeared from the land.